William crawford



(No Model.)

W. CRAWFORD. DEVICE. FOR STOPPING RUNAWAY HORSES.

.No. 552,747. Patented Jan. 7, 1896.

UNITE TATES ATENT Fries.

WILLIAM cRAwroRnor NEW YORK, N. Y.

DEVICE FOR STOPPING RUNAWAY HORSES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,747, dated January'7, 1896. Application filed August 24, 1895. Serial No. 560,364. (Nomodel.)

passages directly above the nostrils.

The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved device ofthis kind which is simple in construction, is safe and reliable, can beused on anyharness,'can easily be oporated by the driver or rider, andwhich does not mar or disfigure the appearance of the horses head-gear.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andin which like letters of reference indicate like parts in all.

the views, Figure 1 is a'perspective view of a horses head, thehead-gear being provided with my improved device for stopping runawayhorses. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail front view of the device. Fig. 3 isan enlarged detail view of the pads and elastic connecting them, thepads being shown separated. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view ontheline 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail side view of one of the pads.

The bridle-bit and the head-gear in general are of any well-known orapproved construction and have no special bearing on my invention.

A strapA is attached to the crown-piece B and passes under the brow-bandO, and down lengthwise over the horses nose to within a short distanceabove the lower end of the nose, and its lower end is forked to form thetwo branches D, which are drawn closely toward each other by a piece ofheavy elastic fabric E, or by any other suitable elastic material, suchas springs, the elastic fabric being preferred.

To the inner surface of each branch D a pad F, of rubber, leather, orother suitable material, is fastened, which pad is of the same width asthe said branch strap so as to show as little as possible.

The pads and the branch straps to which they are attached are curvedfrom each other, as shown.

The branch straps D are carried down at the sides of the horses mouthand pass under the M, each having ahook N at its free end, which hooksare hooked on the rings of the bit, thus serving to support the eye andthe reins passing through them and for holding the branch straps D andthe pads thereon in proper place on the horses head.

WVhenever the horse becomes unmanageable, the driver pulls the extrarein or reins connected with the branch straps D, and thereby the saidbranch straps D are pulled downward and from each other and the pads Fare pressed upon and into the soft fleshy part of the horses nosedirectly above the nostrils, and the air-passages in the nose are thusclosed. The horse attempts to get rid of the incumbrance and begins toback away from it, and can then-become quite docile. As soon as thehorse ceases running the said extra rein is released, permitting theelastic E or spring to draw the branch straps D together again, wherebythe pads are moved away from the air-passages in the nose and the horseis relieved for the time being; but as soon as he shows the leastdisposition to become unruly the pads can be drawn from each other andpressed upon the air-passages by simply pulling on the extra rein.

The pads are very small, and in fact are hardly perceptible, and hencedo not mar the appearance of the head-gear, and as soon as released atonce assume their normal position. For riding-harness the straps D andpads are not changed and the reins H are passed through the bridle-ringsand can be held in the hands or can be hung on the saddle. When thehorse becomes unruly it is only necessary to pull these reins H, whenthe pads F will be pressed upon the air-passages in the manner set forthabove.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters 5 Patent, is

The combination With a horses head gear, of a strap extending from thetop lengthwise over the horses nose and divided at its lower' end andabove the nostrils into two branch straps, a piece of elastic materialattached to the inner edges of the branch straps, a pad on the innerside of each branch strap, below the elastic material, a special reinattached to the end of each branch strap, an eye through which saidreins pass and a strap for suspending said eye from the bit ringssubstantially as herein shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname, in presence of tWo Witnesses, this 15th day of August, 1895.

\VILLIAM CRAXVFORD.

Vitnesses OSCAR F. GUNZ, D. PETRI-PALMEDO.

